Wilhelmina Hay Abbott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wilhelmina "Elizabeth" Abbott
Born	Wilhelmina Hay Lamond (1884-05-22)22 May 1884 Dundee, Scotland
Died	17 October 1957(1957-10-17) (aged 73)
Known for	Suffragist, editor and feminist lecturer
Spouse(s)	George Frederick Abbott
Children	1

Wilhelmina Hay Abbott (born May 22, 1884 – died October 17, 1957) was a Scottish woman who worked for women's rights. She was also known as "Elizabeth Abbott." She helped women get the right to vote, edited important papers, and gave talks about women's equality. She was married to the writer George Frederick Abbott.

Early Life and Education

Wilhelmina Hay Lamond was born in Dundee, Scotland. Her father, Andrew Lamond, owned a factory that made jute (a strong plant fiber). She went to school at the City of London School for Girls and also studied in Brussels.

She trained in London to be a secretary and an accountant. Later, in 1907, she studied at University College London. There, she learned about ethics (right and wrong), modern philosophy (ways of thinking), and economics (how money and goods work). When she was a young woman, she started using the first name "Elizabeth."

Working for Women's Rights

In 1909, Elizabeth Lamond began working for the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage. This group wanted women to have the right to vote. She campaigned with Mary McNeill (doctor) in the Orkney Islands to spread their message.

The next year, she joined the main committee of the Scottish Federation of Women's Suffrage Societies. She worked alongside Dr. Elsie Inglis. Both Mary McNeill and Elsie Inglis later became doctors for the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service. These hospitals helped people during wartime.

Helping During World War I

During World War I, Elizabeth traveled a lot. For two years, she gave talks in India, Australia, and New Zealand. She was raising money for the Scottish Women's Hospitals. She said that people were "unbounded hospitality," meaning they were very kind and welcoming to her.

After the war, she became an officer for the International Alliance of Women. This group worked for women's rights around the world. She also edited their newsletter, Jus Suffragii.

Fighting for Economic Equality

Elizabeth Abbott cared a lot about women having fair chances to earn money. In 1926, she helped start the Open Door Council (later called Open Door International). She worked with other important women like Chrystal Macmillan, Lady Rhondda, and Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence.

In 1929, Abbott became the head of the Open Door Council. She also led the Association for Moral and Social Hygiene for ten years and was involved with them for much longer.

In her later years, she kept working on ways to make sure women were financially secure. She helped write a book called The Woman Citizen and Social Security in 1943. This book pointed out how the Beveridge Report (a plan for social welfare in Britain) treated men and women differently.

Personal Life

In 1911, Elizabeth married George Frederick Abbott. He was a writer who reported on wars and travel. They had one son, Jasper A. R. Abbott, who was born in the same year. Wilhelmina "Elizabeth" Hay Abbott passed away in 1957 when she was 73 years old.